Torque balanced, lift rotor module providing increased lift with few or no moving parts

Abstract

A device and method are disclosed for continuous torque / anti-torque force balance, except for trim adjustments. The torque requirements of a single lift rotor are balanced while lifting varying load weights and with varying power settings. A single lift rotor plane of rotation is parallel to and just below the flared air entry end of a relatively short, cylindrical, vertical duct. The lift rotor is closely contained by the duct's inside diameter, and just above a fixed-pitch, essentially vertical, array of air foil shaped vanes. In this configuration, lateral lift in an anti-torque rotational direction is generated, in direct proportion to the lift rotor torque requirements by the forced interaction of the vanes with the swirl air flow component of the lift rotor's rotor wash.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation in part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13 / 232789, filed Sep. 14, 2011, which is a continuation application of U.S. provisional patent application, Ser. No. 61 / 405531, filed Oct. 21, 2010, for TORQUE BALANCED, LIFT ROTOR MODULE PROVIDING INCREASED LIFT WITH FEW OR NO MOVING PARTS, by Charles H Medlock, included by reference herein and for which benefit of the priority date is hereby claimed.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to an aircraft or aerial crane which achieves torque / anti-torque balance, and to methods of torque balance and control of a single lift rotor and, more particularly, to torque balance and control of a single lift rotor using its rotor wash and swirl component to generate anti-torque, lateral lift within a duct, using a fixed-pitch, essentially vertical, array of air foil shaped vanes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Single rotor aerial cranes, unmanned aerial vehi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method and device for balancing the torque requirements of a single lift rotor lifting a load under varying load weights and power settings with anti-torque force. The device includes a relatively short, cylindrical, vertical duct with a flared at the top air entry end and a bottom air exit end, a fixed-pitch, essentially vertical array of air foil shaped vanes, each vane having an outside end, an inside end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, the outside end attached to the duct's inside diameter with the trailing edge ending at or near the bottom air exit end of the duct. The device is automatic, fail-safe, and provides increased lift or thrust under varying load weights and power settings with anti-torque force. It can be used in aerial vehicles or lifting devices.

Problems solved by technology

Balancing torque requirements with anti-torque has been a challenge from the beginning of single lift rotor vertical lifting and flight.

All these approaches result in a design which is complex, require technical training to use and are expensive to purchase and maintain.

Tip jets have proven all but impractical because of problems getting fuel to the tips of a spinning rotor, where the jets or propellers, are located and dealing with the centrifugal forces moving towards the tips.

Contra rotating rotors require technical training, a complicated set of controls and an expensive drive train and transmission.

Synchronizing the pitch of the props to transfer air smoothly between the lift rotors and downward in forward movement under varying load and wind conditions requires a lot of skill and or programming and precision controls.

Contra rotating propellers have problems at higher speeds, like all lift rotors, because as one lift rotor blade is advancing the other is retreating.

This causes unbalanced lift, more lift from the advancing blade and less lift from the retreating blade.

All of these tail boom methods to control torque using a tail boom have drawbacks and are innately inefficient because they all push the load sideway using energy taken away from, and necessarily countered by lift generation.

This counters the torque but presents new challenges of control as loads vary and wind, mission requirements and terrain conditions are in constant flux.

Helicopters using a tail boom expend up to 30% of the total power of the craft to balance torque and they are very expensive for most individuals to own and maintain and require a lot of training and practice to fly.

Tandem, counter rotating rotors located at opposite ends of a craft are very expensive for most individuals to own and maintain and require a lot of training and experience to fly.

Contra rotating torque control methods are very expensive for most individuals to own and maintain and are very complicated and require training and experience to gain proficiency.

The most common method of torque control, using a tail boom outside of the main rotor's rotor wash not only uses up to 30% of the total horse power of the helicopter, the tail rotors have caused death and destruction of property by striking the ground, objects or people.

Tail boom methods are ineffective to the extent they, by design, push the craft or load sideways as they balance or control the torque of the main rotor because the force they generate originates 12 to 40 feet from the center of the torque they are countering, balancing and controlling.

Controlling a helicopter is a complicated process, of balancing lift by constantly changing the pitch of the lift rotor's blades, controlling torque, by changing the speed / pitch of the tail rotor, directing horizontal movement, by changing the center of gravity with the tilt of the main lift rotor.

This is especially complicated during hover, landing, and takeoff.

Hovering a helicopter in ground effect, above the ground within the diameter of the rotor, especially over slanted geography, as in a search and rescue can and has caused unbalanced circulation of the rotor wash and unbalanced lift causing the helicopters to roll and crash.

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